Sunday, October 31, 2010

Halloween 2010

Halloween has never been my favorite holiday. I mean, I just don't get it. Dressing up in scary outfits and begging for candy just never appealed to me. Of course, after having kids, I understand that they think it's fun, so we do all of the required festivities. It is fun with kids. Usually.

But today, oh today, was different. Why? Noah didn't have a nap. He's three. This is where all the parents out there say, "oooooohhhh, yeah. That's rough." He went hunting with Brian in the morning, slept in the car on the way back home for thirty minutes, and we went to our church's big annual Harvest Hoedown when they got home. Harvest Hoedown has lots of games, lots of inflatables, lots of candy, and lots of people. We went with some friends of ours - one of them being Sophia's friend Ben pictured in my previous post - and about midway through it, Sophia's attitude went south. Why? Best I can tell... Noah. See Noah loves Ben too, and Ben enjoys hanging out with Noah. Three's a crowd, and Sophia does not share well. So, that was great. But thankfully, they did have some fun.

After Hoedown, we came home and met up with some neighbors who have a tractor and trailer. Every year they have a big hayride for kids and their parents to ride while trick or treating. They are pretty amazing people. They have four young boys and still manage to organize the shindig - complete with chili, hot chocolate and lots of other goodies that everyone nibbles on while the kids do their thing. Here's a photo of the rig.

The first thirty minutes were great. We were all having a fantastic time. Then Noah decides to have a full tilt boogie 3 year old melt down over a piece of candy. The child screamed bloody murder, while all of these strangers looked on. I felt like mother of the year. Brian, thankfully, removed Noah from the wagon and had a man to man talk with him. And things were better, for a little while. Then, Sophia was running back to the tractor after coming from this house

fell and skinned her knee pretty badly. So, we played doctor to the wound and tried to get her back in the game. Reluctantly, she did. But it was about that time that Noah reverted back to throwing his candy fit, dropping hot chocolate in my lap, and being, let's say uncooperative. Brian opted to walk him home. So, I, happy to not be getting screamed at, turned to enjoy Sophia, who was savoring some hot chocolate and poking at the cup, until she poked too hard and down poured the hot syrupy brown milk, all over her $60 cheerleading uniform, legs and shoes.

I was no longer feeling the Halloween "fun". A few more houses, and Soph and I hit the road for home to find Noah handing out candy to a swarm of kids. I do believe that was the most fun Noah had all day.

Now, the kids are asleep, and I am headed that way, glad that the next holiday is one of my favorites. Even if there is tantrum throwing and milk spilling, at least Thanksgiving is a holiday I can genuinely get my arms around - and there's not an excessive amount of candy involved throwing my overly tired children into sugar fits.